Fish-trap.



K. R. JONES.

FISH TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1914.

Patented Dec. 1, 191 1 KEITH B. JONES, OF PLEASANTSHADE, VIRGINIA.

FISH-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedDec. 1, 1914.

Application filed April 13, 1914. Serial No. 831,656.

To all whom i; mag concern:

Be it known that I, KEITH R. Jonas, a citizen of the United States, residing at lleasantshade, in the county of Greenesville and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fish Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This-invention relates to new and useful improvements in fish traps, and has for its principal object to provide a trap in which it is possible to catch fish without injuring the same in any way.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a simple and effective trap from which the fish may be removed without necessitat ing the users getting wet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which will be particularly simple and effective in use.

l/Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in' the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will be fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a fish trap constructed in accordance with this invention, showing a portion thereof broken away to more clearly illustrate the details of construction, Fig. 2 is an end View of the enlarged end of the trap, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the frame work to clearly show the details of the connection where the two sections join.

Referring now to the drawings by characters of reference, themtimerals 1 and 2 designate as entireties the two cooperating sectibns Whichare formed of the rectangular tapering frameworks 3 and 4 respectively. The framework 4 is hingedly secured as at 5 to theframe work 3 and is arranged to be drawn upwardly to assume the position illustrated by the dotted linesin Fig. 1.

Each of. the frames 3 and 4 is provided with asuitable wire mesh 6 which is arranged to form panels between the bars forming the frame to prevent the fish from escaping through the side walls of the device. The reduoedend of the frame 3 is connected on its vertical side by the angle strips 7 which are arranged toco'dperate with the angle strips 8 to form 'a bevel connection for the two members 1 and 2. Secured to the beveled end of the member 2 is provided the inwardly extending resilient arms 9 which converge toward their free ends and are ar' ranged to form a closure for the enlarged end of the member 2, which will prevent fish, after having once entered the section 2,v

from returning and thereby escaping.

Secured to the reduced end of the section 2 is provided a suitable hook '10 which is arranged to secure the end of the flexible connection 11 to the section 2, and thereby provide a means whereby the sections may be drawn upwardly in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 by the dotted lines. From this position the user may gain access to the interior of the trap and remove the fish there from.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in use the device is placed in the bottom' of a stream or other waterway, and the fish will enter the enlarged end of the connection 1 and swim toward the reduced end thereof, thus approaching the resilient members 9' which are yieldably secured to the frame 4 ,so that very little pressure will open the connection 11 and this through the medium of the hook 10 will raise the section 2 into the position illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1-and easy access to the interior of the trap may be gained through the reduced end which is rovided with a removable. cover which will admit the hands of the user when removed and thereby it will be apparent that the fish caught in the section 2 may be re moved. This cover is preferably formed of a rectangular frame which is arranged to fit the reduced end of the section 2, and this frame is covered with a suitable mesh similar to the mesh 6 hereinbefore referred to.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this in ention, it is to be understood that such changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as will fall within the spirit and scope of the in ention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described. a

stationary tapering section, the reduced end of said section being beveled, a hinged sectior the enlarged end of said hingedv section being beveled and arranged to register with the beveled end of the stationary section, a

plurality of yieldable converging arlnsse' 'cured in the hinged section at its enlarged end. said arms being arranged to swing outwardly to permit a fish to enter the section, and means at the free end of the hinged section to swing the same vertically to permit the user to remove the contents therefrom.

2. A fish trap including a pair of tapered .sections, one of said sections being larger than the other, the larger section being stationary, means for securing the smaller section to the larger section, the abutting end Coples ot thispatent may beobtained for of each section being of "substantially the same size to insure alinement of the 'wall, the upper wall of the larger section being of less length than the lower wall to form a beveled end, the, top wall of the smaller section being of greater length than the bottom wall to form a beveled end, these beveled ends being arranged to abut and so constructed as to emable the smaller section to swing upwardly without engagin the bottom of the body of water in which the device is'used.

In testimon whereoflaffix my signature in presence oftwo' witnesses.

KEITH R. JONES.

Witnesses:

J, W. Venn, R. H. LEE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C." Y 

